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Astrological Forecast for November & December 2013

As the year winds down, the skies rev up. The last months of 2013 are packed with hot cosmic aspects that will challenge the status quo and help to initiate deep transformation. Notice how much has already changed in our personal and collective lives. There seems to be exasperation with almost everything: yet as much as we want change, we frequently fear it or don’t know how to make it happen. What we are experiencing is not simple metamorphosis from one state into the next (like the caterpillar becoming a butterfly) but a true evolutionary process, where the end point is not known and many options are open to us. In the midst of such tension, powerful cosmic patterns are often triggers for extreme behavior. At times that may be called for, but we are obviously seeing some very difficult examples throughout the world. Each of us has to make an effort to maintain a sense of proportion. Clear your head, consult your heart, and breathe....

November

We get right off to a hot start with a Uranus-Pluto square on November 1st. This is the fourth in a series of seven aspects between these two powerful cosmic players that stretches from 2012 to 2015. This aspect – the first time these two planets have been in a significant alignment since the 1960s – is the astrological focal point of the decade. Uranus is about revolutionary change, while Pluto works at a deep level for fundamental transformation. Keep an eye on the news around this time, although a process that plays out over several years isn’t confined to a few days. We’re really living in the Era of Uranus-Pluto.

On the 3rd, we have a Solar Eclipse in the sign of Scorpio. Solar eclipses are powerful New Moons, seeding times for deep changes. In Pluto’s home sign and so close to the Uranus-Pluto square, this is bound to be an intense time. Personally and collectively we will be feeling the push and pull of transformation – and the resistance to it. Get up early to see the eclipse at dawn in the Northeastern United States.

A serious tone prevails around the eclipse because Saturn is nearby, helping to contain the energy in some ways and perhaps channel it constructively. In the following days, the seriousness continues. On the 5th, Venus, planet of love and relationship, moves into Capricorn, shifting the mood from playful to formal. The Sun meets with Saturn the following day, and we may feel accountable for our actions.

We shake off the seriousness for a couple of days as Jupiter stations to retrograde on the 7th. Optimism wins the day on Jupiter stations, although we still need to exercise our judgment. Saturn should be helping us around this time, and we will have a nice balance between enthusiasm and practicality, so use the time between the 6th and 8th to make decisions and get things moving.

From the 10th through the 13th we have a decidedly less practical energy in the air, as both Mercury and Neptune end retrogrades and move direct. There’s an odd mixture of confusion and inspiration around this time. It’s great for meditation, dream work, and all kinds of nonverbal activities. Paint, journal, or watch some good movies, but maybe hold off on making major decisions.

Relationship comes into focus on the 14th and 15th, as Venus aspects Uranus and Pluto. Our personal and business partnerships are within the same sort of transformative process as everything else, and these days may bring us to the bottom line. A strong relationship may be better for the transformation, but one with some weakness could reach a breaking point. Consider carefully what it is you really want and need. The Full Moon on the 17th will bring both positive and negative aspects of relationship to light.

Although Neptune and Mercury are both moving forward, the 24th may be a day when it is best to back away from practical decisions, as the Sun squares Neptune. A bit too much egotism could flood the day, and perhaps a little paranoia, too. Pay attention to whatever comes up: it tells you what is important, but not exactly why or in what degree. Mercury’s meeting with Saturn on the 25th is likely to bring a more sober assessment of the situation, as well as resolving issues that emerged in October. Projects that have been dangling unresolved can finally reach a conclusion.

December

The New Moon on December 2nd is in the sign of Sagittarius. It’s a good time to focus on goals having to do with travel, philosophy, and education. Mercury is in the last degrees of Scorpio at this New Moon, adding a bit of extra intensity to the usually quiet period.

Mars enters Libra on the 7th. In the sign of balance and social graces, the Warrior can feel a bit out of place, but this placement can help us to be a bit more reserved and civil in our interactions, something we can use right now. The downside of Mars in Libra is the possibility of passive-aggressive behavior. Still, we’re more likely to dash off a terse memo than resort to fisticuffs, and that’s a good thing.

Mercury trines Uranus on the 10th, opening up our insight and fostering creative possibilities. A constructive trine between Jupiter and Saturn on the 12th may go unnoticed, but it holds great potential for harmonious action on financial, political, and social issues. It’s a constructive aspect that will help to bring the insights of the 10th down to earth.

Tuning in to potential and constructive energy is important, because the end of the month has very charged energy that will be difficult to handle if we haven’t reached a decision about where to go and what to do. If you’ve got a goal in mind, it’s time to get moving, but free-floating energy could be very problematic. There’s too much energy to sit still, impatience is high, and rash actions may predominate. Just as the holiday season peaks, independence and concern for our individual needs and wants is likely to be far stronger than the pull towards collective agreement.

The kickoff is on the 17th, when Uranus stations to move direct on a Full Moon. Uranus stations feature impatient, edgy energy that urges us to move forward. We tap our inner revolutionary, and collectively we may see an upsurge in individuals and groups going to extremes.

Two events highlight the 21st. First, the Winter Solstice occurs at 12:10 p.m., EST. The days are at their darkest and the Sun is furthest south, but it is just at this time that we turn and begin heading towards the light of summer. A few hours later, Venus stations to retrograde for 40 days. Venus retrogrades are times to reflect on relationship rather than move forward with new partnerships. We may reconsider what we want and what we value, and may revisit past relationships in order to resolve incomplete emotions. Venus retrogrades are also tricky times for getting things assessed and recognizing value.

Reflection is unlikely to be prominent in other areas over the next week as fiery hot aspects among the Sun, Mercury, Mars, Uranus, and Pluto keep the burner on high. The 25th is marked by a challenging opposition of Mars and Uranus. Social constraints are no match for the independent energy of these two planets, and strong words could fly across the holiday table. Give yourself and others some space.

The year ends with a New Moon, a time of endings and beginnings, in the early morning of January 1st. In the preceding three days, however, Mercury and the Sun begin setting off the Uranus-Pluto square, making for what might be the most intense time since early October (and early November).

Keep cool and remain as aware and compassionate as possible during these challenging times. We individually and collectively create our reality, and the cosmic intensity at the end of 2013 is a challenge that may be hard to meet constructively. However, intention means a great deal in this process, and even our failures can be turned into gold if we have chosen wisely. No one knows where it’s all heading because we have so many choices to make.

Wishing you a joyous 2014!

Armand M. Diaz, Ph.D. helps clients make decisions that are in harmony with their greatest potential, offering a truly integral approach to astrology. Armand has practiced divination for more than twenty years, working with the I Ching and Tarot in addition to astrology. He has published in various astrological journals, including The Mountain Astrologer. His most recent book, Integral Astrology: Understanding the Ancient Discipline in the Contemporary World, is available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.com. He can be reached through his website at www.integralastrology.net.